Allegheny County Bar Association Introduces Website for Teenagers and Young Adults

October 6, 2008 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Officers of the Allegheny County Bar Association today announced that the association has gone live with a new website for teenagers and young adults called 18 and the Law. The site contains information on the laws that could impact teenagers when they turn 18 and are then considered legal adults by the court system. The site’s address is www.18andthelaw.org, and the introduction of the site kicks off the association’s Impact 250 program that will run throughout October.

According to Jay Blechman, president of the Allegheny County Bar Association, “We have had a great response to our For the Public site, because the site is filled with a lot of useful information for the general public. But we wanted a stand-alone site for teenagers and young adults. It is important that they know and understand the laws that affect them as they turn 18 years old.

“As we all know, today’s youths get a lot of their information online. We want to make sure they get the information they need to know about our laws so that it might prevent them from getting into trouble. The site can also be a good reference to parents and teachers.”

The site, which will be updated regularly, contains information on subjects such as sexual harassment, the ramifications of underage drinking, credit card debt, signing a contract, and buying a car. It also includes helpful tips, questions and answers, and links to other related resources.

According to David Blaner, Executive Director of the bar association, the site, which was created by the association’s staff, was designed to give teenagers information as quickly as possible. “Students today are being raised in a very visual world. They want easy access to information, and they want it fast. The site has a very clean and attractive design, is easy to navigate, and delivers key messages in as few words as possible.”

Blechman says the timing of the site going live is perfect. “This is a great way to kick off our Impact 250 program which is being held in October,” he said. “We are conducting programs and events that will impact at least two hundred and fifty lives to recognize the city of Pittsburgh’s 250th birthday. This site has the ability to have that impact on a regular basis for many years to come. We believe we are the first bar association with such a site.”

The Allegheny County Bar Association’s Impact 250 Program, which will run the month of October 2008, recognizes the 250th birthday of the city of Pittsburgh and continues to ensure that legal information and assistance is made available to those who need it. Bar association members have been asked to distribute information, conduct legal education programs, and organize community outreach programs that will impact at least 250 area residents.

Chartered in 1870 and headquartered in downtown Pittsburgh,
The Allegheny County Bar Association is a professional organization
with more than 6,600 member attorneys, judges, magisterial district judges,
legal administrators and paralegals.